One of the simplest pieces of advice that I got when starting out in a business role was, “We don’t want to be hard to work with.”

It’s obvious, but there are so many ways that companies screw this up.

I’ve seen restaurants that won’t let their customers move tables a few inches so their party can sit together, contractors who require multiple follow-ups before they’ll even come for a quote, utility companies that can’t adequately address the simplest customer feedback, B2B companies that let their internal accounting practices prevent them from supporting customers, and on and on.

I’m sure every company has reasons for their various rules, and sometimes the reasons are actually justified (some of the best restaurants limit their capacity and turnover because they know the quality of the dining experience will be compromised otherwise), but more often than not, companies shoot themselves in the foot with unnecessary restrictions and bureaucracy.

At least speaking from personal experience, I don’t like to work to spend my money.

-Brandon